Beach Volley
by fuzzyshy
Summary: A beach volleyball competition changes Grissom's perspective on Sara. A completed GS story.


TITLE:               Beach Volley

AUTHOR:           fuzzyshy

RATING:            PG for a couple of words

PAIRING:            Grissom and Sara

DISCLAIMER:      The usual "I don't own the characters but I wish I do!" :o)

ARCHIVE:           Do you really wanna do that?  Email me just in case.

A/N:                  This is my first fanfic so please be gentle.  I hope everybody will enjoy reading this.  Reviews are welcome! and oh I tried posting this a few minutes ago and I totally forgot inserting this thingee so I removed and reposted so sorry for that. And I got the history of beach volleyball from this website 

                        Enjoy guys!

--

"It is final then.  Our bets on Monday will be Sara and Nick."  Grissom told Catherine with finality as they entered the breakroom.

Grissom and Catherine had been talking for hours now.  He called her earlier that day to meet for dinner a few hours before shift starts.

"Are you sure they will agree on it?"  She asked doubtfully.

"They don't have much choice do they?" Grissom replied with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"I don't know Gil, Sara wouldn't be so happy when she hears this"

"Wouldn't be happy with what?" Sara appeared at the entrance of the breakroom looking at both Catherine and Grissom.

Catherine looked at Grissom worriedly.  

Grissom just looked pointedly at Catherine and then casually answered Sara's question. "I'll tell you later with the team."

Catherine readied herself for an outburst… she waited and waited but all she got was nothing from the gap-toothed female.

She chose to keep her mouth shut and not to comment on the brunette's uncommon behavior.  She discreetly watched Sara walked over the coffeepot taking a mug and pouring her regular dose of coffee.  Nothing seems off she observed but something is not right with the picture.

She let out a resounding sigh as she gave up on trying to analyze Sara.

Warrick and Nick chose this moment to burst into the room having an animated conversation regarding the upcoming Olympics in Greece.

"I'm not sure about that man, imagine Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck attending the Olympics…what a laugh!" said Warrick as he sat on the table opposite Catherine.

"All I'm saying is why can't organizers do that or was it _even_ possible and legal to do that?" Nick in turn raised his eyebrows and sat on the couch beside Sara who was staring at her coffee.

Grissom cleared his throat "Listen up guys, I have something important to tell you."

With this Sara seemed to snap out of her dreams and focused on what Grissom has got to say.

Catherine nervously looked over at Sara for the nth time praying nothing eventful will happen during the meeting.

"Do I have something on my face Cath?"  Sara asked all of a sudden.

"Huh?"

"You have been looking at me for…"  Sara glanced at her watch  "…15 minutes now in 3 minutes interval."

"Is anyone interested in what I've got to say?" Grissom questioned the group to Catherine's relief of not answering Sara's question.

"I am!"  Nick raised his hand enthusiastically.

"What is this about boss?" Said Warrick.

"Well, I attended a department meeting two days ago with the sheriff, supervisors and Cavallo and…"

"Ok this better be good if you went attending this stuff?  You have my full attention."  Nick joked while the other looked irritated at him.

"So as I was saying before I was rudely interrupted here by Nick."  Grissom glared at him.

"We have an upcoming beach volleyball competition among departments and we are vied against the morning shift."  He paused for any interruption from the Nick but nothing came. "It is a mixed doubles also known as a coed beach volleyball so we need a female and a male.  Catherine and I decided that it would be you Nick and…"

"Whoa… hold on a second… why me?"  Nick asked. 

"Because you keep on interrupting me!!"  Grissom deadpanned.

"And who is the female contender?"  Warrick saving Nick's ass for the hundredth time by deflecting Grissom's attention to his question.

"…it will be Sara…"  Grissom said without any hint of emotion.

Everyone turned to Sara to see her reaction.  Grissom chose this moment to shuffle through the assignment slips. It is better to look at innocent papers than to look into the eyes of Sidle's wrath. 

"Can I ask something?"  Sara quietly addressed the group.

"Sure."  Grissom replied not looking up.

"Why me and Nick?  Why not…you and Catherine or… Warrick and Cath or… Cath and Nick?"

"Well, we don't actually have a choice on our players since we are only 6 with Greg included but Catherine and I decided over dinner awhile ago that you and Nick are the only logical choice."  Grissom looked up and stated as if it's the simple answer to a dumb question.

"Over dinner?  With Catherine?"  Sara asked incredulously.

"Yeah, you have a problem with that?"  Grissom did not intend to hurt Sara but he knows what she is driving at.

"Why did we become the logical choice if I may ask?"   Nick raising his brows towards Catherine.

"Well Nick, choosing among the 4 of you guys, you are the only logical choice because of the following reasons…"  Catherine paused raising her fingers as she spat out each one.  

"Grissom can't play because… he's Grissom and imagine him playing volleyball?!"  she giggled while Grissom frowned at her.  "…uh yeah two, Warrick seem to be the ideal candidate but he can't practice because he is up to his neck with the Morales case; third which is Greg, he is not that athletic and we are not even sure he knows how to play and for the fourth and final reason, YOU are a sporty kind of guy, YOU have a pretty good height and you a have a good rapport with Sara!"  Catherine let out a huge smile contented with her explanation

"Which brings us to the next issue, **WHY ME**?"  Sara asked.

Grissom cleared his throat and explained.  "There are only 2 choices, you or Catherine"  No offense meant Catherine but Sara's taller, has long arms and lengthy legs than Catherine and not to mention younger and quicker."  Grissom stated impassively.

"Yeah right and you expect me to believe that?"  Sara blurted out.

"Why not?"  Grissom countered.

"Never mind, who knows how you think especially with Catherine over _dinner_!"  Sara spat out bitterly.

Catherine was stunned on Sara's comment but chose to overlook her reaction.

Grissom in turn was equally shocked to hear that from her.  He expected Sara to be civil enough to carry on a mature conversation regardless of what happened between them months ago.

He ignored Sara's bait and carried on with Catherine's explanation.

"And furthermore, to justify our decision to sign you both, Nick has his 2 days off on Saturday and Sunday while you Sara maxed out on overtime AGAIN this month and I have decided that it is acceptable for you not to clock in anymore.  Both of you will have time to practice this coming weekend…."  Grissom looked at Catherine giving her a silent message to help him out with this.

Catherine smiled and continued "…and you will be able to plan out techniques, establish rapport and be able to change your body clock since the game will be held on Monday at 10 in the morning."

Grissom and Catherine's actions were not lost on Sara's eyes.  She can't believe Grissom will do this to her.  Volunteering her as a player, having _dinner _with Catherine and being like this with Catherine.  'Maybe he really is not interested after all.'

"That seemed to be a plausible explanation don't ya think Sara?"  Warrick inquired.

To everybody's surprise Sara silently whispered  "Fine, I'll play on Monday."

"Good!"  Grissom exhaled brashly and was relieved that the matter was settled.

"Now in addition, on Monday I'm expecting each of us to be there and support Nick and Sara. That's the least we can do for them."  Grissom smiled at his team, satisfied on how this meeting went.

Warrick and Catherine nodded their agreement; Nick can't hide his excitement while Sara just looked gloomily at Grissom who in turn focused his attention again with the assignments on hand.

"I wonder how practice is going with our two players." Catherine asked Grissom while walking down the hallway towards the locker room.

"Hmm…."  Grissom was reading something at a case folder.

Do you think we're gonna win against Ecklie's team?  she continued.

"Uh…huh"  Grissom still isn't paying attention.

"Sara just told me she loves you"  Catherine impatiently baited Grissom.

"Sara what?!?"  Grissom stopped walking and practically bumped into her.

"That got your attention huh?" Catherine smirked.  "So I was saying do you think we will win?"

"Cath don't do that to me will ya?!?  Grissom glared at her.

They continued walking when they heard laughter coming from the locker room.  The noise became louder and louder as they approached the door.  When they entered, they saw Nick shirtless and wearing shorts sprinkling water from a bottle to a laughing Sara. Sara in turn wearing a tank top and jogging pants was trying her best to control her laughter at Nick's childishness.  Both were covered with sweat and sporting a fresh looking tan.  They seem not to notice Grissom and Catherine as they continue their behavior, laughing, shouting and squealing with delight on their playful repartee.

Grissom can't decide whether he is disappointed with their behavior or with the fact that he wasn't able to see Sara legs which is now hidden inside the ugly looking jogging pants she was wearing.

Catherine cleared her throat to get their attention.

Both stopped on the intrusion and were quick to switch to adult mode.

"Um… I will just take a shower guys!" Sara was quick to flee from the scene and ran towards one shower stall.

"Yeah, me too. I guess we will just see you guys on Monday."  Nick stated while retreating to the stall adjacent to Sara's.

Catherine looked over her shoulder to where Grissom was standing and saw him rummaging his locker.

Grissom was pretending to be busy looking for something inside when in truth he was trying to calm himself up.  He was feeling so many emotions upon seeing a happy Sara with Nick.  Was he jealous? 'No!' he argued, he couldn't feel this way towards Sara.  Was he surprised seeing Sara happy with someone other than himself?  'Maybe'  he considered.  Was he disappointed in himself for feeling this? 'Yes definitely!'  _I need to get out of here! _ he thought.

He faced Catherine and said  "um I remembered I need to do something back at the office… I'll see you around Catherine."

"Sure."  Catherine said knowing that somehow Grissom was not too happy on the encounter with Sara and Nick.  In fact he seemed dejected and broken.

"Yo! What's up Cath?"  Greg jumped up as he saw Catherine walking down the court.

"Wow! Look at this parking lot! Not bad for a beach volleyball court! Where did they get all this sand?   Ooohhhh  bleachers and umbrellas. Wow!  And they have hotdogs and lemonade huh!  Feel like fun under the sun in California.  Now I know where the budget is going to."  Catherine was awed on her surroundings.

"Nice music also right?"  Greg wiggled his eyebrows at Catherine.  "I am the one responsible for the music today.  Finally, I can listen to my music without Grissom breathing down my neck!"

Catherine looked towards the building and saw Warrick coming out. "Hey Warrick how was the Morales case?"

"Wrapped up by midnight turned out that the father was hitting his kid for a long time now.  Apparently, he can't take the guilt anymore and coughed up his confession on me and Brass."  Warrick explained as he scanned the lot.  "Where are our players? I see Ecklie's team warming up over there."

"I have no idea, how about Grissom? Isn't he going out yet?"

"Yeah, he is coming out any minute now."  looking over his shoulders  "Oh there he is!" 

Grissom was slowly approaching the gang with papers in hand.

"I don't believe you Gil! You come out here to watch not do paperwork!"  Catherine scolded Grissom like a ten-year-old boy.

"Yeah I know but has it started yet?" Grissom asked then answered his own question.  "No right?!  Now I'm not gonna waste my time waiting for it to start so I brought enough for me to work on before the competition starts."  Grissom shot back with irritation.

Just then Nick's midnight blue Tahoe pulled up across the street and out came Sara and Nick sporting an identical jacket and jogging pants carrying their gym bags.  

"They plan to wear that?"  Greg asked incredulously.

"Those are for warming up Greg."  Warrick answered as a matter of fact.

"Oh, now I know why I wasn't asked to play today."  Greg smiled.

As the couple approached they overheard them convening on strategies and techniques.

"A quick attack is our best offense Nick so you have to set me up accurately.  There is no room for errors."  Sara was seriously talking to Nick that she was not aware of the stunned expressions of her colleagues.

"Right Sar, now you have to work on you digs for our defense.  Make sure that you have established body position in order to dig their spikes."  replied Nick.

"Yes… yes dig for defense.  Dig!  Dig!  Dig!"  Sara repeated as if it's an important mantra.

"Hey good luck you two!"  Catherine hugged both Nick and Sara.  "I know you can do it!"  

"I'll cheer for you Sara!"  Greg offered.

"Yeah! Cream Ecklie's team!"  Warrick added

"Thanks!  I don't know War they have taller players and not to mention quicker.  It is a competition alright!"  Sara replied nervously.

Grissom just stood there thinking of the right words to say.  "It's ok guys!  If you lose, think of it as just one of life's failure."  Four mouths hung open after hearing the statement.  He bit his tongue regretting why he chose to say those words.  He could have just punched himself seeing the look that passed through Sara's face before switching it again to her normal impassive look.  

"Hey, I will buy the team breakfast after the game regardless of the results."   he said hopefully.  Everybody smiled and forgot his earlier remark.

He exhaled thanking human nature.  "Nothing beats good food and not to mention in gratis!"

The second umpire chose this moment to approach the group.  Looking at Sara and Nick, "Your team has 15 minutes to warm up at the court. The other team is done with their warm-ups, feel free to start any minute."

Sara and Nick left the group and approached their corner placing their gym bag on the chairs.

Greg excused himself and went to the Music booth to supervise the sound playback for the entire game.

Grissom, Catherine and Warrick walked up the bleachers sitting just behind Nick and Sara's corner.  They watched the pair as they took out several bottles of Gatorade and towels out of their bag.

Grissom took out his work and began signing papers.  He was distracted when Catherine let out a long whistle.  Looking up he saw Nick zipping down his warm-up jacket and pulling down his pants revealing a crimson-colored volleyball shorts.

"Nice abs Nick!"  Catherine mock-drooled at Nick's body.  "And nice tan too!"

"Tee-hee!!"  Nick laughed while taking out his sunglasses.

The three watched as Sara zipped down her own warm-up jacket and revealed an identical colored sports bikini top.  

Grissom was in awe! He had never seen her wearing only that! Hell he never saw her in anything other than t-shirts and simple blouses.  He tried his best not to repeat Catherine's remark on abs.  Sara has great looking abdomen.  It is firm and toned, he wondered if she was working out.  

Time and universe stopped for Grissom as he saw Sara pulling down her jogging pants.  Sara was wearing a matching low-rise sports bikini bottoms with the word SPEEDOÓ in silver letters across her butt.  She has incredibly long and toned legs and Grissom cannot help but stare and admire Sara's butt. It is firm and incredibly round and curvy.  She is also sporting a golden tan due to a 2-day practice with Nick.

"Gil, close your mouth."  Catherine whispered.

"Huh?"  Grissom was at a loss for coherent words.

"She is a beauty ain't she?"  Catherine teased him.

"Huh?" 

"You know for a guy with your intelligence, you don't know much about words when attraction confronts you in the eye!"  she stated

"What? I'm sorry I was busy thinking."  Grissom looked down at his papers.

"Thinking or ogling?"  Catherine baited.

"Ogling?!?"

"Yeah ogling… like looking, admiring, drooling?!  Can't blame you though, Sara is one hell of a beauty right?" 

"Yes… oh what?! NO!  I mean yes but not like that… but like… er … uh…"

"Yeah right!"  Catherine scoffs.  "You know if I was born male, I'll be wooing Sara non-stop but come to think of it, my effort will prove to be futile since I am not Grissom."

"What's that suppose to mean?!" 

"Figure it out, you're the genius here!"

Grissom was about to say something when Warrick stood up.

"Hey guys, I'm gonna head out for some lemonades and hotdogs you want one?"

"Yes please Warrick!"  Catherine smiled.

"Griss?"  Silence.  "Grissom!"

"What?!  Oh .. sure.."

"Is he alright?"  Warrick mouthed at Catherine.

Catherine just shrugged her shoulders. 

Sara folded her jacket and pants and slipped it inside her bag while taking out her big bottle of sunblock.  She squeezed a dollop and applied liberally on her legs, thighs, abs and up her arms and shoulders.  She handed the bottle to Nick nonchalantly and turned her back towards him.  

Grissom and Catherine watched as Nick took the bottle from Sara and took out a dollop and rubbed it liberally on her back.   Nick sequentially turned his back to Sara, handed the bottle and was later rewarded by her hands gently rubbing sunblock lotion on his back.

This exchanged was being observed by Grissom while Catherine was looking at Grissom for any display of emotion.  Catherine knows that Grissom is hurting but she also knows that Griss will do anything to mask his pain and jealousy.

"How you wish you were rubbing Sara's back with that lotion huh?  And wishing even harder that you were in Nick's shoes, wondering how it feels like having Sara's gentle hands rubbing your back…"  Catherine said gently.

Grissom remained silent.

Catherine considered this before continuing with her rant.  "Gil, wanna hear my take on this?"

Silence.  He was still looking at the pair now warming up at the court.

Catherine took his silence as an affirmation to her question and continued. 

"Griss… if you meet somebody special, you should grab hold of her and don't ever let go.  I don't want you to wake up when you are 60 living all alone in your townhouse and regretting letting go of someone as special as Sara."

Catherine continued with her monologue.

"You are afraid with the idea that when she gets too close she will have the power to make and break you.  You hate being vulnerable. And before feeling that vulnerability, you try and push away which hurts her deeply and in turn pains you seeing how you hurt her."  Catherine glanced at Grissom looking for any reaction and she was pleased to hear Grissom sigh.

"I know you are afraid, afraid of rushing your heart into something you fear, rushing into something that is beyond your control and rushing into something that you are not sure what exactly."  Catherine laid her hand on Grissom's arms.  

"That is normal Gil.  I am not exactly a guru in relationships.  Hell, look what happened with me and Eddie but I recognize a promising relationship when I see one.  You have that with Sara."  Grissom looked at Catherine.  "Think about it, are you willing to let her go and not risk doing something about it?!"  Catherine inquired softly.

"I don't know Cath… I really don't know… What about our job? What will Cavallo say?  Ecklie?  Warrick… Nick or Greg?   What will they think of this?"  Grissom moaned while rubbing his face and running his hands through his hair.

"Who gives a damn about it?"  Catherine retorted.  "It's your life, no one can dictate who you can and cannot date!  I'm not saying you jump into bed with her right away!"   

Heaving a sigh she continued.  "All I'm saying is give what you have and what you want a chance.  Take one day at a time. Address each problem as it comes to you.  Don't try analyzing and solving the whole thing because even Aristotle and Einstein will have a difficult time doing so." 

Grissom smiled at that.

"I know you want this thing you have with Sara to work out.  You want it to be different from all other relationships you had.  You don't want it to be a mistake anymore coz you don't have time to waste on another mistake, you had one too many already. Time is not on your side and you are worriedly thinking of the possibility that this will also fail like the others… but I assure you Gil it's not."

"How can you say that? Are you a psychic or something?"  Grissom asked sarcastically.

"Call it my instinct… a hunch… Besides, I know you both too well!"  Catherine mysteriously remarked.  "Gil, every relationship whether romantic or otherwise has its own downside.  No relationship is perfect; it's not always bliss.  Life is meant to be lived that way.  You won't appreciate acceptance when you haven't been rejected, you'll never recognize happiness unless you have felt what it is to be sad and you will never appreciate the beauty of being loved unless you have experience the pain of being hurt."  Catherine paused to look at Grissom who was again watching Sara warming up with Nick.

"I think I'm too late Catherine."  Grissom said admitted sadly.

"No, you are not. Sara will forever wait for you regardless of what she says on the contrary.  She has been waiting for you since time immemorial.  Just ask her out for a coffee maybe, then see what happens."  Catherine offered.

Grissom just nodded.  He listened to every word Catherine has told him and everything seems to be less difficult now that he has heard Cath's perspective.  'Take one day at a time and see what happens' he heard her voice in his head.  

Just then a long and loud shrill of whistle startled him.  "Seems like the competition is about to start."  he mentioned to Catherine as they saw Cavallo approached the microphone.

Cavallo delivered a short speech about social interaction and camaraderie among employees.  He even quoted Grissom about the fact that there is no lab without its people, without its employees.  He wished all the players goodluck and hoped that everybody will enjoy this wonderful event.

Warrick arrived bearing bags of hotdogs and chips with a carton full of lemonades.  "I'm sorry got caught up talking with Brass regarding the paperwork on my Morales case."

Another long and loud shrill of whistle erupted and the first umpire approached the microphone and explained the mechanics of the game.

"So let me see if understand what he just said."  Grissom looked at Warrick and Catherine for confirmation.  "It is only a 1 set game and in order for you to win it you need to get 25 points?" 

"You got that one right Gil!"  Catherine smiled at Grissom getting excited for their team.

"Then what about rally-point? What is that all about?"  Grissom asked not embarrassed that he doesn't have a clue about it.

"A rally-point boss is having a point **against** you everytime you commit an error regardless of who served the ball.  That's opposite to the old one when you can only gain a point if your team served the ball."  Warrick explained simply.

"I see, seems simple enough hearing that.  And the umpire mentioned that even if the ball touched the net during service as long as it goes through the other side, its considered as a legal serve right?"

Warrick nodded.

"Ok now let's play ball!"  Grissom stood and shouted at the top of his lungs triggering shouts from the rest of the employees filing in the seats of the bleachers surrounding the court.

Greg found this as a great timing and turned up the music.  **_Nelly's Hot in Here _**is loudly blaring at the speakers situated at the 4 corners of the court.

Nick approached the umpire together with Ted from Ecklie's team for a toss coin.  Sara stood at their corner stretching and rolling her shoulders.  Grissom can see that she is singing and moving with the music.  She then brushed her hair up for a ponytail and tied it with a band. She got a pair of OAKLEYÓ sunglasses out of her bag.  Grissom noticed that her shades matched perfectly with her outfit.  It has silver frames with highly tinted red lenses.

Grissom swore he could die now after seeing Sara like this.  She is perfect and absolutely stunning.  She has never looked so different he mused.  He remembered months ago how pale she looked like standing at his office door inviting him to have dinner.  She looked like she has gone through hell and back again with dark circles under eyes, cut and bruised face, slumped posture and empty smile.  It has been months since he saw the infamous sidle-gap-toothed-smile.  

He wondered if it's partly his fault that Sara changed a lot.  'Was it my outright rejection?' he pondered.  'Was it my fault at all?'  He then equally wondered and considered what made her transform into a new Sara a few months after seeing her broken. 'What brought the change in her attitudes and outlook towards work, her friends and even me?'

Grissom discreetly glanced at Sara.  She looks like she has been working out with that body.  Looks like she's getting enough sleep and she looks noticeably happier.  There is a certain twinkle in her eyes although at times he admitted that he is the reason for that twinkle to disappear.  'Is there someone else?  Is she inspired? With whom? Is it Nick?'  He was making up possible reasons he can come up with inside his head when he heard her voice.

"Hey!"  Sara shouted at him smiling.

"Hi!"  He paused.

"You look good."  He looked at her referring on her outfit.  "And nice tan!"  he added

"Yeah, thanks!"  Sara blushed and smiled.

"Goodluck Sara!"  while looking down at his hands and making sure Sara won't hear her, he added softly,  "Win this game for me!" 

"I will."  Sara replied.

Grissom's head snapped up faster than any speeding bullet and was shocked at seeing Sara standing in front of him looking him in the eye.  She has approached him without his knowledge. 

"Sara, I…"  Grissom was about to say something when Nick hollered at Sara.

"Hey Sar!  We won the toss coin.  We're gonna serve first!"

Sara reluctantly broke her eye contact with Griss and looked at Nick.  "Yeah be right there!"  She looked back at him and said,  "I have to go and clobber Ecklie's team."  

Grissom just nodded and smiled at her.

"Great job Gil!"  whispered  Catherine who has been silently watching the exchange.  "Not so smooth but I'll give you an A though for effort!"  She giggled after seeing Grissom's look of amusement.

"Go Sara!"  Catherine shouted as Sara positioned herself for the first serve of the ballgame.

Sara nervously dribbled the blue, yellow and white Mikasa ball.  She gave a quick glance to her friends who were hooting and screaming all at the same.  Catherine can't help but jump up and down while Grissom looked quite amused on her behavior, Warrick was there clapping his hands, Greg giving him a thumbs up sign, even Bobby, Archie and Jacqui were cheering for them.  Nick was in front of the net bending down and giving her a hand signal on where to drop the ball.  

The umpire gave out a whistle and it was time for her to serve.

Sara treads 2 steps backward from the line while dribbling the ball.  She tossed it out…waited for it to fall and hitting it off just at the right height.

**Thump!**

"DAMN!"  She cursed while others sighed a collective  "OH!" 

The ball hit the net right in the middle giving them the first error of the game and thereby giving a point to Ecklie's team.

"Thanks for the point Sara!  You might be lost, this isn't the bikini open!"  Ecklie shouted at her then looked over at Grissom.  "Never thought it will be easy to beat your team Grissom, well maybe Sara will win for the best-dressed category today."  he smirked.

Grissom tried to stand up but failed due to Cath's hand restraining his arm.  "Grissom, don't!  You will just give him the benefit of seeing you lose control."

Sara blushed at the comment and wondered if Grissom will ever forgive her if they lose this match.  She knows how Grissom feels about Ecklie and she prayed that the result of this match would not be added on Ecklie's long list of insult to Grissom and his team.

Nick approached her and gave her hand a soft squeeze, assuring her that her error was not a big deal.

It was Ecklie's team to serve, Ted gave out a simple serve and it went out smoothly towards Nick's direction.  Nick received the ball and sent it off towards Sara to make a play.  With a determined look on her face she tossed the ball up on the right side of the net not realizing that Nick was waiting for the ball at the left end.

"Shit!"  Nick cursed as he tried his best to run and at least hit the ball over but he was a second too late.

"Fuck!"  Sara this time shouted loudly for everyone to hear.  They are already trailing by two points because of her.  It's not because the other team was very good in playing but because she's committing unforced errors.  They are losing without a fight!  All the other team was doing was serve the ball and wait for her to screw up.  'That was pretty easy way to win a match, send the ball to my direction and we're down for another point!'  She mused angrily

"Time out!"  Nick shouted at the umpire and took Sara by the arm to confer on their corner.  "Hey Sar, everything all right?"  he asked gently.

"I don't know Nick. I'm sorry I'm letting you down. This is all my fault!"  Sara could feel the tears coming.  She is humiliating herself in front of the whole lab and in front of Grissom.  

"Hey, hey!  None of this is your fault.  We are a team.  I should have known that you'd be setting me up on the other side.  I've miscommunicated you.  It is also my fault.  C'mon! This is just a friendly game.  Don't be pressured on this.  Hey listen, Ted will be serving again and I'm willing to bet that he will send the ball off to your side, sensing how you are stiff and rigid, oh you know what I mean.  We are gonna do a quick 3 attack ok?"

The umpire whistled to end the time out.  Nick smiled at Sara and gave her a hug then walked back to their court.

"She is nervous, I know she is."  Grissom biting his lemonade straw while whispering to Catherine who in turn nodded her head but started fidgeting with her hands.

Ted served the ball and as anticipated it went to Sara's general direction.  She dig the ball and sent it off towards Nick who hollered "Quick" and tossed the ball shortly towards Sara who squatted, leaped up and walloped the ball quickly in midair.

**WHAP!**

The zinging ball hit Ted right smacked in the face and he staggered backwards and eventually fell down.

Never believing what had just happened, the crowd was stunned at first then roared to a loud  "YEAH!" 

Nick shouted a loud and dramatic "aaanndd sheeessss back in the game!"

Sara gave out her biggest gap-toothed smile and giggled,  "What a better way to demonstrate the statement _In your face_!"

The crowd was ecstatic!  Before he could catch himself, Grissom stood up and let out a loud bellow "GO SARA!"

Catherine knew that Grissom was not into baring his emotions especially to other people.  This one was a very big leap for him, openly hooting not for Sara and Nick but for Sara alone.  Catherine decided to stand up and cheer with Grissom to at least join him in openly admiring the brunette.

Sara rewarded them with a thumbs up sign and a big smile as Nick positioned himself for the team's service.

Sara was all over the court diving for the ball, digging for defense, and leaping high for a kill, a spike or for a block.  Then Grissom as well as the rest was dumbfounded as they saw Sara tossed the ball, walked a few quick steps before leaping high to deliver her first jump serve of the set.  The delivery was so accurate and fast that it zinged across opponent's court, catching the other team unaware.   It earned her an ace and not to mention another point for the team.

Grissom never realized how flexible she could get until now when he saw her set up Nick for a kill.  At first he thought that Sara would make another tossing error when she was facing opposite Nick.  But he was more that awestruck as he saw her bend backwards tossing the ball to Nick who was getting ready to deliver a kill behind her.  

Grissom also marveled on the variety of sounds emanating from Sara's general direction.  Every **thump**, **thwack **and **whap **of the ball against her forearms and hands whenever she defended against an attack.  Every **zing**, **zap **and **whoosh **the ball seems to sound when she attacks, every **umpph**, **uuhh**, **oh **and **aahh **when she exerted effort in diving, digging and blocking the ball.  Every shout of directions she gave to Nick such as **_set_**, **_quick_**, **_opposite_**, **_cover _**and **_reset_**!  Everything is being recorded in Grissom's mind.  He doesn't want to forget any smallest detail about Sara today.

Sara seems to be a different person on the court.  Although he can still see the same determination and same furrowed brows she has when working as a CSI, she is radiating a different kind of aura, more like a sex appeal.   And even though he doesn't want to admit, it is hypnotizing him big time!

The crowd was getting ecstatic and excited, they are all up to their feet hooting for their own team.  No body expected to have a game this tight especially between the morning and graveyard shift.  This event will be in everybody's mouth for a month at least.

Catherine looked at the scoreboard, its 23-24 in favor of Nick and Sara.  One more to go and they win the game.  Her heart thudding loudly on her chest as she glanced at Warrick who inspite of the pressure was standing and calmly watching the court.  Grissom on the other hand was gnawing on the straw of his lemonade.

"Leave the poor straw alone, Gil!" Catherine hissed.

Grissom appeared unaware of Catherine's comment and continued chewing on his straw while quietly chanting  "You can do it Sara, you can do it!" 

The umpire whistled and Nick served the ball with a loud thump.

Ted accurately received the ball and tossed it to his partner Patricia who in turn made a set for Ted's kill.  Sara squatted and then leapt up to block the ball but she missed it and came across off her.  Fortunately, Nick was waiting and dove for the ball while shouting a loud  **"QUICK 3!!"**  to Sara.  While the ball was in midair Sara quickly glanced and saw Ted and Patricia preparing a defense for Nick's quick 3 kill near the net.  

Instead of setting up for a quick 3, Sara faked a tossing position then leapt high enough for the ball and hit it with all her might for a kill.  

**WHAM!**

The other team did not anticipate Sara's move and was too late to dive for the ball.  It landed cleanly on the backcourt, 1 foot away from the backline.  

The umpire whistled.

Ted and his partner groaned.

Sara fell down on the sand exasperated but smiling. 

Nick let out a big yell!

Catherine screamed and hugged Warrick who in turn screamed and hugged her.

Grissom pumped his fist in midair and let out a loud  "Yes!"

Everybody else just jumped and screamed in excitement.

Sara still lying on the sand was mobbed by her friends.  Nick was the first by her side and helped her stand up.  Catherine hugged her immediately and squeezed her.  

"God Sara I never knew you were a maniac on volleyball!"  She commented then faced Nick who was grinning like a Cheshire cat.  "And Nicky my boy you are a one helluva player!"

Warrick was next in congratulating the pair, slapping Nick on the back and squeezing Sara's shoulders.

And as Grissom was about to say and do something, Greg went zooming into the circle cutting Grissom of his speech and actions.  

"Be the mother of my children Sara!!!"  Greg delivered as he went down on his knees and took Sara's hand and kissed it.

"In your dreams my sweet Greg…"  Sara giggled while openly flirted with him "…but I'll try to consider your offer in the future"

They were distracted when they heard a gasp from Grissom  "Sara!"

"What?  Finally jealous Grissom?"  Sara teased.

"No"

"Then what?"  Sara replied coldly not believing that Grissom is ruining her moment of glory.

"Your arms are all bruised up!"  Grissom told her gently.

"Oh!"  She looked down and was shocked herself to see her inner arms bruised and banged up.  "Um… it's normal for a volleyball player to have this."  She explained and smiled at Grissom's concern.

"How come Nick doesn't have it?"  Grissom countered.

"I don't bruise that easily Grissom."  Nick explained to his boss.

"Oh, then let us put some ice on it at least?"  Grissom asked looking at Sara.  

_One day at a time  _he repeated inside his head.__

"Um… sure, let me just shower first and we will meet you guys back at the breakroom."  Sara said retreating to get her bag with Nick.

Still giddy with their triumph against Ecklie's team, Sara went out the shower stall, smoothen her sunburned skin with lotion and changed to her comfortable faded jeans and purple tank top.  She wore her comfortable NIKEÓ rubber sandals to let her feet breathe out.  Her feet were tired running around the scorched-heat sandcourt barefoot.  She called out for Nick and receiving no reply, she assumed that he was in the breakroom already.

The normally 1 minute walk to the breakroom turned into a 15-minute traffic.  Everyone stopped and congratulated her along the way, voicing out admiration and awe on her hidden talent.  She humbly thanked them and smiled until she got to her destination.

Warrick and Nick were playing a game on their Sony PlaystationÓ and she was not surprised to see that it involves volleyball.  Catherine was quietly reading PEOPLE magazine on the table and Grissom was on the counter putting ice on a Ziploc bag.

Sara never thought that Grissom could be serious on the icepack and totally forgot about it.  

"Hey!" she greeted them.

"Hey Ms. MVP!"  Catherine teased.  "Where do you want to eat?  We can't decide until you get here so what's it gonna be?"

"It's up to you guys, just make sure they have something I can eat."  Sara replied.

Grissom approached her ice bag in hand and said  "I know exactly where we will eat and since it's on me and Sara sort of abstained from deciding, I will decide"  he smiled as he heard the collective groans of the other three.  "Now before we go, let me see your arms first Sara."

Sara held out her arms towards Grissom but instead of putting the ice bag on it, he took her hands and led her to the couch.  As they were seated, Grissom gently applied the ice on her arms making her jump to the sudden coldness.

"Does it hurt?"  Grissom asked softly.

"No, I'll probably feel the pain tomorrow and the day after but it's normal really.  It will go away in a week."

Grissom just nodded and continue to tend gently on her arms.

Sara looked at her surroundings.  Something is definitely not right.  Warrick and Nick continued to play their game; Catherine is still absorbed on her reading while she and Grissom are getting cozy here on the couch.  'Is somebody going to at least give out a comment on Grissom's behavior? Or my behavior?  It's like everything is normal, that this happens everyday.'   As she was musing at this, Greg entered the breakroom carrying 2 trophies.  

"Congratulations guys!  Cavallo was on his way to give this but he got an important call so he asked me to give it to you."  Greg said putting the first trophy on the table.  

Nick stood up and took the trophy " I think this deserves to be displayed on Grissom's office, don't ya think Sar?"

"Definitely but not beside ms piggy's jar ok Griss?"  Sara teased

.

"Of course"  Grissom smiled "…and what's the other one for Greg?"

"Oh this?"  Greg asked while he flaunted the other piece.  "This one's for Sara."

"For me?"  Sara asked surprised.

"What for?"  Catherine joined the inquisition.

"Well I thought Ecklie was kidding when I overheard him mention it but it turned out to be true surprisingly.  I even asked Cavallo about it and he explained that it was indeed part of the……."

"GREG!"  They all shouted.

"It's for the best-donned bikini…" Greg spat out.  "… evidently you are the best-dressed player for today!"

"What?!"  Sara shrieked  "O my god you got to be kidding me?!?"

"Nope, so here's your trophy!"  Greg handed her the piece.   "Aren't we going out for lunch today?"

Everybody just laughed at him.

They convoyed following Grissom's Tahoe to the restaurant.  Everybody drove their own SUVs except Sara who left hers at home when Nick picked her up before the game and Greg who carpools with Archie.  Sara joined Nick on his SUV while Greg went with Catherine.

As they were about to order, Sara observed that Catherine, Nick and Warrick ordered without consulting the menu book and raised her eyebrows towards them.  

Warrick answered her silent question  "God, Sara how many times Griss has to bring you here for you to memorize the menu?!"

Grissom paled at the question while Sara stammered "…umm… it's my first time here actually.."

"Oh!"

Catherine tried to be helpful and said  "Try the Caesar's salad, its actually great and…"  Catherine stopped as she saw the pain in Sara's eyes.  It just added salt to the wound.  Her suggestion only meant that she has been here a lot of times also.

"Sara..."  Grissom started.

Sara just smiled at Grissom emptily and looked at the waitress.  "It's ok, I'll think I'll have the um… the… I think I'll just have an orange juice."   She said closing the menu.

"What?!"  Nick complained.

Sara just glared at him.

Greg who was unaware of the tension on the table gave out his order to the waitress gave his menu and eagerly stared at them.  

To ease the tension, Grissom tried to start a conversation about the history of volleyball as they all waited for their orders.  Sara just sat their folding and playing with her table napkins not paying attention on what they are saying until Nick kicked her under the table.

"Huh?"

"I said do you know anything about how beach volleyball started?"  Nick repeated.

"Oh, I thought Grissom explained it already."  she faked.

"Yes he did but that was the conventional volleyball, we are curious about _beach volleyball_."  Catherine added.

"Oh!"

Silence

"So?"  Warrick pressed

"Playing volleyball at the beach, which is not the same thing as playing modern beach volleyball, evidently began in Hawaii in 1915, when the Outrigger Beach and Canoe Club set up a court on Waikiki Beach."  Sara began not looking up.

When no one said anything she continued.

"The main purpose of the club was to promote surfing, but when the waves weren't right, members often played volleyball while waiting for the surf to come up. One of the players was Duke Kahanamoku, the Olympic swimmer and surfing pioneer. Later, as athletic director at the Beach Club in Santa Monica, California, Kahanamoku helped turn beach volleyball from a leisurely activity into a fast-paced, athletic sport." 

Sara paused.

"During the early 1920s, college students began playing six-on-six volleyball on beaches in Southern California. A number of courts were built at public and private beaches, especially around Santa Monica. Two private clubs in Santa Monica, the Beach Club and the Swimming Club, began regular competition in 1924, playing every Sunday from July Fourth through Labor Day weekend."  

"Wow that was really fun!"  Greg offered his eyes twinkling on this new knowledge.

Sara smiled at Greg and continued.  "On public beaches, groups of families often played three-on-three or four-on-four games, depending on how many players were available.  The first recorded two-man game was played at the Santa Monica Athletic Club in 1930, with Paul "Pablo" Johnson and Billy Brothers against Johnny Allen and Charles Conn.  They originally tried using just a quarter of the court but quickly expanded to half the court, and finally they decided to use the entire volleyball court."

"It never fails to amaze me Sara how good you are with names?"  Nick said.

"I think that's the only thing I'm good at aside from my work."  Sara said painfully.

"What?!"

"So anyways, The two-player, full-court game soon became popular at other private clubs in the area. 

In 1944, the Santa Monica Recreation Department staged the first of four annual tournaments for two-man teams. Similar tournaments were held in Santa Barbara and Long Beach during the next couple of years."

Grissom was quiet the whole time listening but paying more attention to her instead of what she is saying.  

Before Sara can venture on tournaments and championships, their order arrived.

They all looked blankly on Sara's orange juice.

"It's ok guys, don't hold back on my account, I know you are all hungry."

Everybody dug into their plate except Grissom who played with his food.  He knows he had unintentionally hurt Sara again by bringing her here.  This place was a mistake.  He had brought everybody here for coffee, dinner or breakfast, everybody but Sara.  And Sara found out today that indeed she is someone he treats differently.  It would have been okay had the difference been positive but she is not stupid not to analyze that not bringing her here for a simple meal definitely falls under negatively different.

Catherine sensed the growing tension in the silence that hung on their table.  "So Sara I noticed that you have a great body, have you been working out?"  she asked.

This brought a smile on her lips. "Yes, in fact I do.  It's part of my routine now, not like what I used to do before like signing to promos and free trials.  I got a lifetime membership. I consider it a diversion from work." 

With that Grissom's head snapped up and quickly looked at her.  She in turn was busy looking at Catherine.

"And guess what Cath, she has this good-looking trainer and nutritionist all in one!"  Nick teased.  "Brad right?"

Grissom once again snapped his head up but this time his mouth was hanging open at Sara.  "Trainer and nutritionist? Isn't that expensive?" he queried.

"Not if he's one of my friends back in Harvard."  Sara mysteriously smiled.

"So he is the reason why you are toned and buffed up, girl?"  Warrick asked.

"Yup, he won't let me go until I do a hundred crunches!!!"  She giggled "…and the best part is, he gives me a week long nutritional meal program without having to eat meat.  He even cooks for me!"  Sara's eyes twinkled.

'Oh no!'  Grissom groaned inwardly.  'It wasn't Nick… it was this Brad guy!'

Catherine looked worriedly at Grissom.  "So Sara, is it serious?"

"Of course!"

Grissom's face fell.

"Why wouldn't I be serious with working out and eating a complete meal?"  She asked curiously.

Catherine restated her question.  "I mean are you serious with this Brad guy?"

"Of course…"  she paused dramatically "…not!"

Grissom almost gave out an audible sigh.

"He is just a friend.  Besides, he already has a girlfriend. He's taken and unavailable."

Catherine was relieved for her friend.

"And anyway its moot since I have my eye fixed on someone else!"  she said while looking at Nick.

Grissom paled and realized in horror that it was Nick indeed.  He can feel the start of a migraine and seeing that everybody was finished with their lunch he asked for the bill and gave his credit card to the waitress.

"Hey Sara!"  Nick said. 

"Yeah?"

"Can somebody else bring you home?  I sorta have to drop by at Carrie's today he said apologetically.  She's been complaining of not seeing me for 3 days now because of our practices."

Now Grissom was more than confused.

"Sure, it's not a problem.  There are so many cabs here in Las Vegas"  she smiled.

"No you are not riding a cab Sara."  Catherine's motherly instinct kicked in.

"Why not?"   Sara asked incredulously.  "I can bring Greg and drop him off the lab and I can go home from there."  She argued.

"Greg is coming with me."  Catherine said with finality 

"Hey, hey don't fight over me ladies, we can manage a schedule here if you want!"  Greg teased.

Ignoring Greg, Catherine said  "Maybe Grissom could bring you home?  Won't you Griss?"  She smiled looking at him.  

"Of course."  

"Whatever!"  Sara gave up arguing with Catherine sensing she won't win anyway.

"Do you even know how to go to my place?"  Sara asked Grissom frankly. They were inside the Tahoe already exiting the restaurant's parking lot.

"I'm sorry, I don't"  he admitted silently.

"I thought so!"  Sara muttered then gave out directions to her place. 

The ride was uncomfortably silent for Grissom.  He glanced at Sara beside him who was staring out the window.  He wondered what she is thinking about right now.

"What happened to us Grissom?"  Sara softly asked answering Grissom's silent question.  

"What do you mean?"  

"You know exactly what I meant.  Aren't you getting exhausted of denying? Aren't you getting drained of this whole sidestepping thing everytime I confront you?" 

Silence

"Don't you care for me at all?"

"What do you think?"  He answered.

"I know you do but see, that's exactly what I'm talking about!  What do I have to do to get you to say a simple thing like I care for you?  How can I get you out of your freaking cocoon and be totally honest with me?"  Sara almost shouted.

"I can't voice it because it will make it more real for me!!!"  Grissom cried.  "And I don't want it to be real, I just want to think that I'm just hallucinating and fantasizing that someone like you cares for someone like me.  When it's real it becomes complicated and I don't want it to be complicated with you.  You deserve more than that!"

Sara was more than stunned to hear this from Grissom.  The honesty she was asking a minute ago was delivered without any warning.  What's more, Grissom admitted that he indeed feels something for her too… well at least with what he just blurted out.

"My life is complicated as it is and I don't want it to get even more complicated and with you, oh god that's complicated as complicated as it gets and with that complication I…"

"Woh slow down Griss…"

"It's complicated and…"

"Hey, stop it!  Did you know how many times you mentioned the word complicated?"  

"Huh?"

"Never mind, just… just stop the car Grissom."  Sara said suddenly.

"What?!  No, you are not going down here."

Sara looked at him,  "Please just trust me."  

Grissom pulled off the road at Sara's request, put the gear to park and faced her.  

"Now what?"

Sara took his right hand and gently placed it on his chest, right where his heart is while keeping hers on top of his hand.  "Now, I don't what you think or analyze or evaluate.  I just want you to feel.  Just feel what your heart is telling you and nothing else."

There was a long pause before Sara spoke softly.  "The heart has its own reasons that the mind cannot comprehend."

Grissom just remained silent, trying his best to tell her how much he loves her through his eyes.  

"I know Grissom, I can feel it.  You don't have to voice it out.  It is real and it is not complicated"  she said.

Sara took the same hand lying on his chest and this time placed it on her chest right where her heart is.  

"Now, feel this." 

Still holding his hand over her heart she began,  "I have to say a few things, nope, a lot actually.  And I'll appreciate it if you won't say anything until I'm finished."

"I love you, only God knows why.  At first I admit I was just flirting around but then BAM!  It hit me across my heart and knew that I am head over heels in love with you.  I don't care that you're way off older than me, forget that you are my supervisor and forget all other complications, I just fell in love.  I was caught unaware, I never thought it would be like this. I thought I was strong and then you came along and turned my world upside down and still LOVE it.  You have me Grissom, you own me.  I'm right there in your hands, right under your control.  I don't know how it happened, it just did."

"I love you more each day and every day I find more reasons for me to fight for this love and make me stay and believe that there is a future for us.  The only thing that pushes me away from you is the thing you do which hurts me a lot… your avoidance, the deception, the lies and the denial."  

"My love for you is dependent on you and the things you do.  I can't help but think that you are pushing me to give up and you want me to let go.  You wanted so much for me to let go and give up so when the time comes and you have to look back, you won't regret anything because I was the one who ended it and not you.  And forgive me if I say that it's all bullshit because we both know that I won't give up the one thing I believe in."  

"I longed for you to say the same things I'm saying now.  I wanna know how much you love me and what you're willing to do for me.  I waited and waited and waited and all I get is a simple "since I met you", "I need you" and "I have you" which through time loses its meaning when you won't follow through.  Maybe you don't know but I'm a hopeless romantic and I want you to give me the sun, moon and stars."  

"Well maybe, people have different ways of showing they love you.  I forgot, men are from Mars and women are from Venus, you on the other hand is an exception, you came from Pluto."

Sara tried to lighten the mood and Grissom rewarded her with his smile.  

"I'm not pushing you to be someone you're not.  I'm not trying to change who you are and I definitely don't want you to do things just because I said so.  Maybe you are really like this and you don't do such things and that's alright with me coz I fell in love with who you are right now. "

"I must admit that slowly I am realizing that the romantic idealism I cling on and believe so much is not at all real and existent.  It's actually dead.  Things I learned when I was still young were all false.  It's just a myth to get young people to want to grow up at once, to encourage us to look forward into falling in love.  And when one grows up, it is then one realizes that it is all a blanket of lies used to cover reality.  A part of me died.  I used to believe in fairy tales.  I believe in that prince charming who will be my one true love, I used to believe that it would be you, Grissom.  Now I realize fairy tales aren't true, that's why it's called a tale, a fairy tale even.  It's for children and once you grow up you realize that it's all bullshit and not even close to the words truth and reality."

Grissom thought she was done talking ending her monologue with a not so promising conclusion.  Sara squeezed his hand laying it firmly on her chest.

"But still, there's hope inside me that holds on to the magic of love.  I still look up to the idea of the one person I'll be growing old with, the one person who will stick with me and stay with me forever.  The one who will not only show me love but who will help me go through pain and suffering, the one who will show me what lies and deception are but can't bear the thought of doing it to me.  Someone who will support me, believe in me and will never give up on me.  Someone who can do all these things to me and someone whom I could do the same things for.  Someone who can dance with me to the music of life.  Someone like you…"

Sara let go of his hand and Grissom let it fall on her lap before staring back at the windshield.

To say that Grissom was overwhelmed with Sara's speech is an understatement.  

'I can't think right now, what will I say to her?!  No I shouldn't think, I need to feel…I just need to feel.'

Switching the car gear into drive,  they went back to the road and drove in silence.  Sara gave Grissom some time to let her speech sink in on him.  She knows that it took a blow on him but she can't think of any perfect time than this to let him know what she feels about the whole thing.  She perfectly understands if Grissom chose not to discuss this right now.

As they pulled up to her apartment, Sara unbuckled her seatbelt opened the car door whispered her thanks to Grissom and started to climb down when Grissom stop and held her arm.  

"Can I say something?"  He said.

"Sure."  

Sara closed the door and sat back.  Grissom griped the steering wheel not looking at her.

"I… I don't know how to say this.  I don't even know what to say anymore.  I… I know that sooner or later we will have this conversation and I have no choice but to face it.  I think we are having _that_ conversation right now.  I knew you would confront me with your feelings and I don't know if I'll be relieved or scared knowing all about it now."

"Believe me when I say that I have considered having a relationship with you.  I've been thinking and imagining it and god, how I wished everything will be alright.  But… but as soon as I entertain the idea of having a relationship the sooner I shoot it down and disregard it.  There are so many reasons, some are justified and some are not but still they are the reasons why I don't know what do to about this."

"Earlier, I've had talked about this with Catherine and no I didn't asked for her help but it is as if she felt that I'm so confused with the whole thing that she voiced out her advice out of nowhere.  She made it sound all simple and manageable. And I know she's right and I know I have to do something right now or else I'm gonna lose you forever."

"Then I listened to you, your pain, your dreams and your feelings.  I wanted so much to make it right. I thought I lost you.  I thought… I thought I was too late especially when you told Catherine during lunch about having your eyes fixed on someone but… but when I felt your heart… when I was feeling your heartbeat and listening to you minutes ago, I knew am not too late… I am the one you had your eyes fixed on right? he asked Sara softly.

She just nodded and he continued.  

"I am not very good in expressing my feelings.  Hell, I am not even good with people what more a relationship?  I don't have a long speech to deliver about love, about being from Pluto or about my cocoon but what I feel right now about you is something special.  It is something I never felt with other women in my life and _that _makes me scared.  So scared that it causes me to panic and screw things up between us."

"I have decided to do something about it and I refuse to put this off once again.  I don't want to wake up regretting I lost you.  I am now willing to risk but I don't want to rush into things with you, you are too special for that.   I…I am willing to take it slow, to make things right and perfect.  Let's take one day at a time and see what happens."  

Grissom exhaled and was relieved that he got everything off of his chest.  'That wasn't bad.  Wasn't bad at all!' he mused.

Sara smiled but remained silent.  She looked at Grissom, took his hand and squeezed it.  

"Yeah, one day at a time"  she repeated.  "Thanks for the ride Griss.  I'll see tomorrow at the office." 

She climb down and slam the Tahoe door shut.  She looked back at him before entering her apartment while Grissom drove away and disappeared around the curb.

An hour later her cellphone rang as Sara was cleaning out her gym bag from her dirty clothes and towels.

"Sidle."  She answered on the third ring. 

"Would you like to have breakfast with me tomorrow?"  Grissom invited hopefully.

There was a long pause before Sara answered.

"No." 

Grissom face fell, he tried his best to hide the confusion and disappointment in his voice.  

"I'm sorry I even asked.  I don't know what I was…"

"I'd rather have dinner with you instead!"  Sara interrupted him smiling then hung up.

Grissom just smiled at his phone with the dial tone and all.  He doesn't even have to ask what time he'll pick her up because he perfectly knows that Sara will always be ready for him any time.

THE END


End file.
